BTEC Parents Guide

Guide your child in the right direction

Did you know? 42% of 18 to 30 year olds believe they took the wrong educational path and say their parents were one of the groups that inuenced them.
Source: Edge Foundation: November 2007

In 2006/07, more than one million students enrolled on a BTEC course in the UK alone.

Guide your child in the right direction

Parents play a major role in guiding young students choices when they leave school. A survey conducted in 2007 by Edge, the educational foundation promoting practical and vocational learning, shows that a significant number of parents urge their child to do A levels and go to university. GCSEs and A levels need not be the only education route that leads to university or a successful career. A BTEC course offers applied learning related to work which may be best for your childs learning and development. This guide has been produced to provide you with the information you need on BTEC qualifications.

What is a BTEC?
BTECs are work related qualications suitable for a wide range of students, built to accommodate the needs of employers and allow progression to university. They provide a more practical, real-world approach to learning alongside a key theoretical background. They can be taken as well as, or in place of, GCSEs and A levels in schools and colleges. BTECs are recognised by schools, colleges, universities, employers and professional bodies across the United Kingdom and in over 100 countries worldwide. BTECs have been around for 25 years, their reputation is second to none and they continue to grow and develop. In 2007, more than one million students enrolled on a BTEC course.

How are BTECs assessed?

BTECs are not exam-based qualications. Exams work well for some students but others nd them rather daunting and struggle to see how they t into the real world of work. Instead, students study real-life, work-based case studies and complete projects and assessments, which contribute to achieving each unit studied. Each BTEC is made up of units. The number of units is dependent on the level and size of BTEC being studied (eg BTEC Introductory, BTEC National). In order to complete each unit, students must achieve against a set of outcomes. The assessment criteria address theory with practical exercises. The assessment process is ongoing, so it allows the student to analyse and improve their own performance through their course in much the same way as they would in a real workplace. The projects that students undertake form the basis of their unit results which are graded as a Pass, a Merit or a Distinction.

Where are BTECs delivered?

BTECs are delivered through schools, colleges, independent training providers and employers. They are popular qualications amongst young people and adult students alike. BTECs are exible, enabling students to study them full-time or part-time, as part of an Apprenticeship programme or alongside work commitments and other qualications.

For more information see www.edexcel.org.uk/btec or call 0844 576 0026

Which BTEC is suitable?

BTECs are available at various levels: BTEC Entry develops the initial skills for either a broad work sector or everyday life where confidence is needed by students. BTEC Entry Certificates are suitable for any student aged 14 upwards and are designed for students with learning difficulties or those who struggle with traditional learning. BTEC Introductory qualications are at Level 1 and offer an entry point to an industry sector and encourage the development of personal and work-related skills. The BTEC Introductory qualications are suitable for any student aged 14 upwards and are designed for those who are not able to achieve A*- C grade GCSEs, but who are motivated by a workrelated course. BTEC Firsts are Level 2 qualications which are the equivalent of traditional GCSEs grades A*- C. In 2007, there was a 50% increase in BTEC uptake across schools in the UK. There are currently over 60 BTEC First qualications available, linked to industry sectors. The BTEC First is suitable for students aged pre-16 and is designed for those who are capable of achieving A* C grade GCSEs, but wish to focus on a work related vocational qualication or work area. Students may take BTEC Firsts alongside core GCSE subjects such as English, Maths and Science. BTEC Nationals are designed as specialist qualications for students who have a clear view of their future career or are seeking progression to higher education. BTEC Nationals are equivalent to A levels and are highly valued by universities, further education colleges and employers alike. There are more than 250 qualications for students to choose from. These qualications are suitable for students aged 16 upwards and are recommended for those who have achieved at least four A*- C grade GCSEs or have completed a BTEC First and have a clear view of where they want to be, or wish to go to university. BTEC HNDs and HNCs The BTEC Higher National Certicates (HNCs) and Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) are Level 5 higher education qualications, widely recognised by universities and professional bodies. There are more than 150 qualications available, suitable for students aged 16 and above. The HNC is often studied part-time alongside full-time employment. A Higher National student will develop management and other higher level technical skills required by employers. After a period of usually two years, students often progress to the nal year of degree programmes. Higher Nationals can be studied in both FE colleges and universities.

Other BTEC qualications

BTEC Development and Professional Development Qualications are a range of BTEC short course qualications at all levels from 1-7. Each focuses upon the understanding, skills and knowledge needed for a sector, area of expertise or professional development. BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design is a Level 3 programme, lasting normally a year, during which individuals are prepared for entry to higher education to study art and design. BTEC WorkSkills is a suite of units developed in response to the demand for employable people. These units build on the skills already taught in schools and colleges, recognising them with a formal BTEC qualication. WorkSkills encompasses work placement, interview skills, teamwork and vocational skills. It also helps people acquire the soft skills that employers are looking for; adaptability, a positive can do attitude, and communication and presentation skills. There are over 30 skills-based units in total. Students taking existing BTECs, GCSEs, GCEs, Diplomas and other recognised courses can t WorkSkills into their timetable, adding a further work-based qualication to their CV.

A parents view on BTEC

Im extremely proud of Matts achievements; hes got a great job and hes very happy so I dont think either his mother or I would have wanted to change the route he took to getting where he is today John is the father of Matt Lazenby, a student who left school following his GCSEs and undertook a BTEC in Art & Design at York College. Matt chose not to go on to university, despite achieving sufficient grades, and instead took up a job at a design company, which led to him co-founding design and branding agency LazenbyBrown with a friend in 2005.

How long does a BTEC take to complete?

The time taken to complete a BTEC is dependent on the size and level of the qualication. A BTEC will generally take one to two years to complete depending on whether the student is studying full or part time. Schools, colleges and other BTEC centres determine the mode of study for the BTEC programmes they deliver. They are also responsible for ensuring that the students they accept to study a BTEC course are capable of achieving it, and for supporting them through their studies.

A successful alternative to A levels

After getting 12 GCSEs (10 with A and A* grades) I did a BTEC National Diploma for IT Practitioners. It was one of the best decisions Ive ever made. I spent two years concentrating on a subject I really enjoy, and learning from a range of specialists. Since I earned UCAS points as I progressed through the course, I knew I had the grades for university. I applied to four and got four offers. Emyr Thomas opted for a work-related course rather than taking the traditional A level route. He chose this job-ready route because he believed it would be benecial for university, giving him the upper hand on students who had followed the traditional A level route. Emyr is currently studying Computer Science at Cardiff University.

What is the difference between a BTEC Award, Certicate and Diploma?

The different sizes of BTEC qualications vary at each level; the smallest is an Award, the next size is a Certicate and the largest is a Diploma. The actual number of units and the amount of content within each is not xed, but varies according to the design and focus of each qualication.

Which industries does BTEC cover?

When developing its BTECs, Edexcel works very closely with employers from various industries and professional bodies to create qualications that give students the skills they need to either move on to higher education or go straight into employment. For instance a BTEC National Certicate in Business would cover all aspects of business including marketing, law, human resources and accounting. Currently BTECs cover the following subject areas:

Applied Sciences Art and Design Business, Management and Services Childrens Care, Learning and Development Construction Education and Training Engineering Hairdressing, Beauty and Related Therapies Health, Care and Counselling Hospitality IT and Computing Land and the Environment Languages Media Performing Arts and Music Public Services and Security Sport, Leisure and Recreation Travel, Tourism and Transport Services

BTEC Recognition
BTECs are understood and recognised by a large number of organisations in a wide range of sectors. BTEC qualications are developed with key industry representatives and sector skills councils ensuring we meet employer and student needs. Many industry and professional bodies offer successful BTEC students exemptions for their own accredited qualications. A Recognition Directory is available from Edexcel to those seeking to qualify for professional memberships following the achievement of BTEC HNCs and HNDs. For more information on professional recognition for BTECs, please contact our customer services team on 0844 576 0026.

For more information see www.edexcel.org.uk/btec or call 0844 576 0026

Progression
BTECs allow students to move on to higher education, to progress further in their career, to start their career in a certain industry or in some instances give them the skills to start their own business. They allow the student exibility and choice in what they choose to do. The table below shows all the educational progression routes available to BTEC students together with their more traditional equivalents: NQF Qualication title Level Equivalent to No of Overall Progression units/GLH grade
N/A N/A Bachelors Degree, employment BTEC HND, Bachelors Degree, employment BTEC HND/HNC, Foundation Degree, Bachelors Degree, NVQ, employment BTEC HND/HNC, Foundation Degree, Bachelors Degree, NVQ, employment BTEC HND/HNC, Foundation Degree, Bachelors Degree, NVQ, employment Bachelors Degree (Art & Design), BTEC HND/HNC, NVQ, employment BTEC National, NVQ, employment BTEC National, NVQ, employment

Availability
Pre-16 Post-16

5 3 2 1 E

BTEC Higher National Diploma BTEC Higher National Certicate BTEC National Diploma BTEC National Certicate BTEC National Award BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design BTEC First Diploma BTEC First Certicate

Foundation Degrees, 16 units Dip HE 960 GLH Intermediate level qualications 3 GCE A levels 2 GCE A levels 1 GCE A level N/A 10 units 600 GLH 18 units 1080 GLH 12 units 720 GLH 6 units 360 GLH 9 units 600 GLH 6 units 360 GLH 3 units 180 GLH 360 GLH 180 GLH 6 units 180 GLH 6 units 180 GLH

4 GCSEs (A*-C) 2 GCSEs (A*-C)

BTEC Introductory Diploma

4 GCSEs (D-G)

BTEC First, NVQ, employment BTEC First, NVQ, employment

BTEC Introductory Certicate 2 GCSEs (D-G) BTEC Entry Level Certicate in Life Skills BTEC Entry Level Certicate in Skills for Working Life

N/A N/A

BTEC Introductory, NVQ, employment BTEC Introductory, NVQ, employment

GLH = Guided Learning Hours

BTEC Development and Professional Development Qualications

There are BTEC short course qualications at levels 1-7, leading to BTEC Diplomas, BTEC Certicates and BTEC Awards that are designed to accredit knowledge, skills and understanding for a specic area of work. These qualications have variable sizes and progression routes and no formal equivalences.

Progression to higher education and beyond

It is difcult to say at 16 where you want to spend your working life. A BTEC opens up avenues such as university whilst also being relevant to your profession. BTEC formed the basis of my engineering knowledge and proved to employers I had achieved an academic standard as well as practical skills. Ben Hughes completed a BTEC HNC in Mechanical Engineering and went on to complete a BEng degree in Mechanical Engineering in which he achieved first class honours. In 2007, he was offered and accepted a PhD position with the Engineering Physical Sciences Research Centre (EPSRC), one of the most prestigious PhDs in the profession. In 2007, he was also the recipient of a Whitworth Scholarship, presented by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Your questions answered

Q. What does BTEC stand for? A. Originally BTEC was an organisation the Business and
Technician Education Council which was set up in 1983 to nationally validate and accredit high quality, consistent vocational qualications. In 1996 following a merger of BTEC and the University of London Examinations and Assessment Council (London Examinations) a new company, Edexcel, was born. BTEC remains a brand for work-related qualications owned and offered only by Edexcel.

Q. How does assessment take place? A. BTEC qualications are delivered and assessed by
staff in centres, who create a programme of study to reect local requirements and facilities, and who use a variety of assessment instruments appropriate to the outcomes being assessed. These may include, for example projects, presentations and case studies. Outcomes are measured using grading criteria, or Pass, Merit or Distinction. All assessment is quality assured through internal verication and sampled through a range of external verication activities orchestrated by Edexcel.

Q. How are BTEC qualications developed? A. Many BTEC qualications are based on the National
Occupational Standards (NOS), as determined by the relevant sector skills councils. From the NOS Edexcel creates units, assessment guidance and support materials within specications. Edexcel consults widely with centres, employers, and other sector professionals. Where there is a perceived need for a specialist or other vocational qualication, Edexcel works with key players to create an appropriate BTEC qualication, accredited by our relevant regulators.

Q. What does a student receive on completion of a BTEC course? A. On successful completion of a BTEC course a student
is provided with a certicate and a Notication of Performance. The certicate gives details of the students name, where he/she studied and the name of the qualication (with the overall grade where this is provided). The Notication of Performance gives the titles of the units studied and the grades achieved in each this is sometimes known as a student prole, and shows what a student has achieved on the course studied.

Q. What are the key features of BTEC qualications? A. BTECs are work-related qualications. The units are usually
graded as Pass, Merit or Distinction, and many BTECs are given an overall grade using Pass, Merit or Distinction. Centres need to be approved by Edexcel to deliver BTEC qualications and are required to have appropriately qualied and experienced staff and specialist facilities of an appropriate professional standard to enable students to benet from their studies.

Q. What are the UCAS points for BTECs? A. Only BTEC National Awards, Certicates, Diplomas
and the BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design are eligible for UCAS tariff points. A BTEC National Diploma has equivalence with three GCE A levels, 120-360 points A BTEC National Certicate has equivalence with two GCE A levels, 80-240 points A BTEC National Award has the equivalence with one GCE A level (or 2 AS levels), 40-120 points A BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design has the equivalence of 165-285 points The number of UCAS points depends on the overall grade achieved. For example a BTEC National Certicate achieved at the overall grades of Distinction/Merit would be equivalent to 200 UCAS points. Details of the UCAS points for both GCE A levels and BTEC Nationals can be seen here: www.edexcel.org.uk/ucas

Q. Why are some BTECs categorised as being Technical Certicates? A. Sector skills councils have devised Sector Frameworks, which
encompass National Vocational Qualications (NVQs occupational, competence-based qualications) with Key Skills (for example, Numeracy, Communication and IT). The BTECs are then designated Technical Certicates (providing the underpinning knowledge).

Q. How is a BTEC course delivered? A. Approved BTEC centres are allowed to deliver their
programmes as they wish for example, as a day-release course, full time or via distance learning. They are able to create their own assessment, based on the specications published by Edexcel. Centres are encouraged to work closely with local employers and to involve real life case studies where possible. It is important that there is relevance within BTEC programmes; students will benet from and be stimulated by their BTEC courses being truly work-related. The mode of delivery and the course content may sometimes vary due to the input of employers in the area, and the local resources of a centre.

For more information see www.edexcel.org.uk/btec or call 0844 576 0026

Progression - UCAS points

Learners completing the following qualications can apply for university places through UCAS - the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service - as these qualications attract UCAS points. Further information about UCAS can be accessed via their website: www.ucas.com. This table shows the UCAS tariff points for GCE A and AS Levels, Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals, the Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, and Key Skills qualications. A BTEC National Award has the equivalence to 1 GCE A Level (or two AS Levels), a BTEC National Certicate to 2 GCE A levels and a BTEC National Diploma to 3 GCE A Levels. Where, for example, a learner has achieved an overall grade prole of 3 Merits - MMM - in a BTEC National Diploma this provides a learner with 3 A Level equivalence and 240 UCAS points. A learner who is awarded the overall grade of Distinction in the BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design will have 285 points on the UCAS tariff. NB. Learners who successfully complete the BTEC National Certicate or Diploma in Childrens Care, Learning and Development earn in addition between 40 and 120 UCAS points for the Reecting on and Developing Practice for Children aged 0-8 unit, and are recognised as qualied practitioners, able to work in a supervisory capacity in any childcare setting. This also enables progression to relevant higher education and teacher training.

GCE Qualications
(including vocational subjects) AS A level Double Award Award

BTEC Nationals
Certicate Diploma

Points

BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design)

Key Skills

DDD DDM DMM MMM

AA AB BB BC CC CD DD DE EE

DD

DM

MMP

MM D M MP PP

MPP PPP

A B C D E

A B C D E

360 320 285 280 240 225 220 200 180 165 160 140 120 100 80 60 50 40 30 20 10

Distinction

Merit

Pass

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2

Contact us
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About Edexcel Edexcel is a Pearson company and the UKs largest awarding body. We offer academic and vocational qualications and testing to more than 25,000 schools, colleges, employers and other places of learning here and in over 100 countries worldwide.